Mirror Mirror Man
by RusCanWonderland
Summary: Ivan has lost his one love to mortality and the wizard will stop at nothing to get him back. When he ventures into the dark world of mirrors to try and retrieve his love from the dead he becomes trapped inside one. Centuries later Matthew returns, but he doesn't remember Ivan at all.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! We are Cat and Bee from RusCanWonderland on Tumblr.

**Disclaimers, Notes & Warnings:**

We do not own Hetalia or any characters within.

**Warnings:** Death, horror elements, violence.

**Notes**: A sequel to **Sorcerer's Servant.** This is book two in our three part arc and is the shortest out of them all.

* * *

The entire castle was filled with mirrors.

It was a beautiful castle made of marble and white porcelain, of the whittled down aspen wood and the pale white blooms of lilies. The entire castle was white and gorgeous and the kingdom of Marmoreal was quiet about the darker undertones of the kingdom, of the death and intrigue that surrounded the entire aristocratic world of the royalty.

Ivan had been brought into the kingdom on the whim of the King, summoned from his own mountain home.

Legend had passed through centuries of the powerful wizard who had killed the King of the rival kingdom of Krims that had enslaved him, but the legend had turned into a story to frighten children and the lesson within was forgotten. The wizard was older now, though, darker and more stoic and cold. He wore a locket about his neck, the silver surface polished and gleaming against the dark of his white robes, mourning robes.

He had mourned for three hundred years, and until he could find his love again, he would mourn for centuries more.

The heels of Ivan's boots clicked upon the polished marble of the floor which reflected his image into the marble and the mirrors, the polished silver of the domed ceiling. He could see himself reflected infinitely and his mind whirrled with the possibilities as knights in polished armor led him into the throne room with it's vaulted ceiling and infinity mirrors that created a perfect illusion.

"You are a great wizard, are you not?" The king had asked when Ivan had stood before him, the three other court sorcerers watching the younger wizard quietly, suspiciously. "Your element?"

"My element is water, your majesty." Ivan stated simply. "But you would hold interest in another skill of mine, would you not?" A flick of Ivan's fingers and the court in unison twitched downward into a courteous bow before straightening once Ivan released them. "Entire armies… Bowing in submission to you at the flick of a hand…"

The king's eyes flared and he nodded, but Ivan smirked. "What if I told you that I could give you an army that would never die. That would never become injured, that would tear the army of your rivals limb from limb with the strength of hell itself?"

There were whispers as the men and women of court stared at the wizard, even the other three sorcerers frowning and hissing in suspicion at the wizard.

"What do you require?"

Ivan tilted his eyes to the side and stared at his own reflection briefly. "Only mirrors."

—

A baby's cry had suddenly broke the silence of the dark castle. Servants and guards that had been on duty had passed joyous, silent smiles.

The queen had had a slightly difficult pregnancy, the baby small and its mother frequently sick as a result.

The royal family had speculated that this baby would be a little princess, but they were pleasantly surprised to have a little prince.

They named him Matthew, God's gift.

The kingdom had rejoiced; they now had two most precious prince's, Alfred eight years older than his infant brother.

Matthew had grown into a tiny, pale thing, his interests in books and art far outweighing his love of militia. He was taught to play music and to paint, his teachers easily doting on the youngest prince who didn't mind sitting for lessons.

On Matthew's sixteenth birthday, his father had arranged quite the ball. Royalty and dignitaries from all over had came, but Matthew had never felt more alone in his entire life.

Though years separated them, Alfred's birthday was only a few days from Matthew's. The guests doted and fawned over the crown prince, and heart broken, Matthew had retreated from the festivities.

His feet had led him far away from his rooms, from the music and color and light of the bustling party.

The only thing that accompanied Matthew as he mindlessly wandered was his reflection, his steps on the white marble floors and his breath, quiet and careful.

The youngest prince had found himself standing at the base of an old, spiraling staircase. Matthew had never been to this part of the castle before.

Tentatively, the blonde climbed the stairs, an old wooden door greeting him at the top.

The door was situated in what could only be called an alcove, large and covering a good portion of the wall. There was a likeness carved into the surface, a man that towered over the floor with a large nose and sharp features, the eyes of the man's face open and blank as they stared kindly down at the viewer. The man's clothing was even intricately carved in detail, the stitching and folds and wrinkles looking almost lifelike in the wooden surface, a large coat flaring out at the sides of the man's frame to fill in the rest of the door's surface. There was no door knob nor lock on the door, and the interlocking hands of the man's likeness seemed to be the only thing keeping the door closed.

There was something behind the doors, something that was burgeoning with power and frustration. It leaked through the cracks and tainted the air with a bitter taste, like wine turned to vinegar with too much age.

Regarding the door carefully, Matthew slowly lowered himself on the topmost stair just before the little landing where the wooden man stood. He tilted his head slowly, the air in the high, dark space giving him slight chills, Matthew swept his eyes over the figure, looking for a name, a date, anything that could give him even the smallest clue to whom it might be.

Matthew had never seen that face before, but the little prince was sure….if he had, he would have remembered.

Cautiously, Matthew stood, his fingers curling together as he peered at the face of the figure, curious and mildly frightened.

The power he could feel surging ever so slightly in the air was humbling, but something in the figure's face, those blank, wide eyes, had the little prince's shoulders slightly relaxing.

"Hello," he murmured softly, his little heeled shoes moving him ever so much closer to the space just in front of the wooden man. "…my name is Matthew."

The carving didn't respond but a trick of the light might have made it look like the man was smiling more fondly now. There was a small groan from the hands of the mirror and the doors pushed forward slightly before settling once more, still unopened but trying very hard to open before the small child.

"You are a door," the blonde murmured softly, curiosity at its peek as he tentatively started to reach a hand forward. He was cautious, eyes darting to the figure's unmoving face, before his fingers curled over the clutched hands, a little smile spreading on his face. With a gentle pull, Matthew slowly unlaced the fingers, his eyes widening as he managed to push open the heavy wooden doors, the joints groaning ever so slightly.

But there was no passage inside, no room or hall.

"A mirror?" Matthew questioned, no one in particular. The little prince tilted his head, watching his reflection do the same, before a hand lifted to finger at the end of a curl and down onto the lace of a collar. Frowning, Matthew shook his head.

He shouldn't have been surprised. There were mirrors all over the castle, this one was probably just thrown up here to be forgotten. Taking a little step back, Matthew reached to gently touch the fingers of the wooden man, intent on closing its ancient doors one more.

Matthew had no reason to want to look at mirrors, when the person inside the reflection was someone that the little prince didn't want to see.

"Matthew?" A voice asked gently as the boy turned away. The mirror darkened slightly and a pale face materialized within the mirror, the visage of the man that had been carved into the mirror's cabinet appearing, his fingers stroking through the curls of Matthew's reflection gently.

Gasping softly, Matthew took a small, frightened step backwards, his eyes wide and round as he peered at the mirror and the face he could see in the darkness of the reflection. Slowly, Matthew nodded, fear and surprise keeping him rooted in place. "Yes…I..I'm Matthew.."

The face in the mirror smiled and stroked over Matthew's reflection as he wrapped an arm around the blonde's thin waist. "My name is Ivan."

The figure's smile didn't scare Matthew…instead, the little prince had smiled softly, his eyes watching the figure in the mirror's arm curl around his reflection's torso. It was a strange thing to see, and Matthew didn't yet understand.

"Hello, Ivan….did I….did I disturb you?"

"Not at all. I've been waiting for someone to open my mirror. It's terribly boring when I'm kept in the dark all the time." Ivan rested his cheek atop Matthew's head, smiling as he watched the little prince. "How old are you?"

Matthew made to smile, but the light simmered from his eyes very quickly, his head tilting down so he could peer at the toes of his shoes. "..today is my sixteenth birthday," he mumbled, his eyes peeking at Ivan's image. What did it feel like to always be kept in the dark?

"Sweet sixteen." The older male teased gently. "And never been kissed." His eyes were a bright violet and the closer he leaned to the glass the brighter they seemed. "Would you like a kiss?"

"But," Matthew started, his eyes trained on Ivan's, the color making something in the little prince absolutely weak in the knees, "…t-there is…no one who would kiss me," the blonde stated softly, as if it were the most obvious thing on earth, even though he took tentative steps that much more closer to the glass.

Ivan smiled and tilted his head, moving to press his lips to Matthew's reflection, long fingers gently cupping soft cheeks and chin, applying a steady pressure to the boy's lips for a long moment before he pulled back gently and released Matthew, retracting his magic slowly into the mirror so as not to harm the blonde boy.

Flushing darkly, Matthew pressed his fingers to his lips, the pad of one running along where he had actually felt the gentle pressure of Ivan's kiss. "I feel like…like I met you before, Ivan…though that's silly…isn't it?" Matthew murmured after a moment, his head tilting to peer down the dark staircase.

He didn't hear a single person, no noise, no footsteps. No one had even noticed he had left the party.

Slowly, Matthew sat down in front of the mirror, his eyes shy as he glance at Ivan before shifting until he could press his side against the glass.

"It's…it's very cold in there. Won't it make you sick?"

Ivan chuckled and shook his head. "I'm just a reflection. And as long as you leave the mirror open… I won't get cold at all."

"Can I come…to see you again, Ivan?" Matthew asked softly, a fond little smile on his face as he curled his hands between his knees, his eyes drooping as he tilted his head against the mirror. Being around Ivan..Matthew felt relaxed, unguarded.

Ivan smiled and pressed his palm against the glass beside Matthew's cheek. "Yes, yes you can… I look forward to it."

Smiling softly, Matthew bobbed his head in a little nod before he closed his eyes and relaxed fully against the glass. In moments, the little prince was asleep, thoughts of parties far from his mind. Discovering Ivan…that had felt more thrilling and exciting than anything had in a long time.

Ivan smiled as he watched the blonde fall asleep before he faded back into the mirror to watch the reflections, silently guarding the thin frame as he waited.

A guard approached some time later and Ivan stared as the man looked at the mirror and then gathered Matthew in his arms before stepping back from the cabinet. He was young, he wouldn't remember the mirror, wouldn't remember why he had to keep it closed. Ivan smirked as he tilted his head to the side, seeing a hallway lined with rectangles and squares where the mirrors looked into the darkness like windows, bodies and ghouls and strange creatures slinking away from the lights to hide in the slivers of darkness between.

Ivan's smirk grew wider as he wandered through the nightmarish creatures, stepping over them as he went to follow the boy's reflection.

The guard had stiffly carried Matthew all the way to the young prince's rooms before settling him on the bed. He wasn't permitted to do much more than ensure the prince was safely in bed before he tugged the curtains on the windows closed and blew out the series of flickering candles next to a round, wide vanity mirror, before he had left, snuggly closing the doors behind him.

In the darkness of the room, Ivan's reflection could be seen standing in front of the mirror, watching Matthew laying on the bed silently.

* * *

Part 2 starts! Thanks for sticking around to read, everyone! The tone of the first story with Ivan's sweet nature is almost lost here in the second sequel; it get's a little bit more serious from here.

- Bee and Cat


	2. Chapter 2

Ivan had familiarized himself with the castle again within the first week of his mirror being opened. No one ever went to check at the top of the small staircase. He followed Matthew and spoke with the blonde, wrote love letters on the glass with the heat of his breath and his fingers. But with the opening of his mirror, other things were now revealed in the mirrors, especially in the darkness of night when there was no light to burn them and blind them.

Matthew could not sleep in the darkness anymore.

At all hours of the day he could hear strange cries or noises, but at night, it was only worse. The young prince tugged closed curtains and lit tall candlesticks before settling in front of his mirror, his nightgown being wrung between thin, nervous fingers. "Ivan.." he whispered at the glass, his bare toes shifting on the softwood floor, "...I'm frightened."

"It's alright, Matthew, they can't hurt you, not while I'm here." Ivan stated with a gentle smile, standing behind Matthew's reflection. He lifted a brush in the mirror and started to gently brush the blonde curls, his long fingers stroking over soft cheeks and temples as he moved. "I'll take care of you Matthew, it's alright."

Matthew closed his eyes, something that the blonde thought made feeling like Ivan was actually behind him much easier. "...mother is frightening to see. She doesn't sleep...she murmurs about demons...and father...father is talking to priests and is always looking through books…," the blonde murmured, his head tilting into all of Ivan's sweet touches. "...I haven't seen my brother in days...mother is worried the devil is after him...so she sent him away to scout the mountains for a new trading route…"

"The devil isn't after your brother." Ivan murmured gently as he pressed a kiss to Matthew's temple. "The devil is locked up tight, so don't you worry your pretty little head."

"Ivan…," Matthew started with a gentle laugh, his eyes lifting to peer at Ivan in the mirror. "I didn't say that _I _was worried...t-the sounds….the shadows that servants whisper about...that's what frightens me…"

Ivan smiled as he wrapped his arms around Matthew. "They won't harm you, Matthew... The shadows simply watch over you just like I told them to." The man stroked his palm over the blonde's soft cheek. "You're quite precious to me, Matthew... So very precious... And I'm doing everything I can to keep you safe... Those noises and shadows... They obey me... And so they won't harm you."

Matthew was quiet for a long moment, his eyes closed again so he could focus on Ivan's arms secured tight around him. "Ivan…? Could I ask...could I ask why I'm...important to you?" the blonde asked slowly, his eyes opening to peer at the older male's face.

"Because I've been waiting for you for a very long time, Matthew." Ivan smiled at Matthew in the mirror. "I've been waiting to find you again, and for you to find me... I tried looking for you here, in the mirror, and then you found me in your world..." a sad smile crossed Ivan's face briefly. "But now I'm trapped inside the mirror... And I can't be with you."

Matthew didn't understand most of what Ivan had said...it confused him and he wanted to ask...but something worse caught the blonde's attention. "Trapped? But…," Matthew nibbled his lower lip, peering down at his lap. "You're so kind...why would anyone want to trap you?"

"Because I tried to look for you in this world... Inside the mirror... And while I was looking something horrible came out... And the royal sorcerers banished me into the world I had tried to search." Ivan smiled sadly down at Matthew before he leaned forward to kiss the blonde's lips in his reflection.

Matthew shifted his fingers, like if he were going to place them on Ivan's arm, but simply let his hand drop into his lap once more. "Is...is there a way to release you?"

Ivan gave a sad shake of his head. "You can't leave the mirror for more than a few moments. You always have to return."

"But..," Matthew started, clearly not understanding. "...but you do not belong there...surely there has to be a way," the blonde worried, turning in his chair to look at Ivan behind him, but sorrowfully, no one was there.

"I do now, Matthew. This is my kingdom, just like how your world will soon be your kingdom." The older male gently stroked his fingers through the blonde's curls. "I've been preparing my world for you, though, I've been here for a very long time and I've been preparing it especially for you."

"My kingdom will never be mine. I'm the second son and I-" Matthew paused, his eyes widening before he peered up at Ivan in the reflection. "...especially for me? Ivan...I just," the blonde shook his head as he leaned forward, his eyes locking on the flicker of nearby candles, "...I can't seem to understand…"

Ivan smiled at the blonde, leaning forward to kiss the blonde's lips gently once more before his reflection's eyes flicked to the door where there was a knock. "There is a kingdom, long covered in ice and snow. And within that kingdom there is a mountain made of iron that I pulled from frozen stars... There are some answers within that mountain..." He murmured softly, stepping back into the darkness of his mirror as the maid opened the door. And soon the only reflection in the mirror was Matthew's.

Matthew tilted his head towards the maid that looked frightened, her eyes casting glances at the mirrors in the hallway. She gave Matthew a look before setting down a folded blanket on the end of the bed. Matthew watched her scurry out, her hands running over her arms.

It really was right then that Matthew realized just how cold it was in his room.

There was frost on the mirrors that framed the outside of Matthew's bedroom door, spelling out "Krims Mountain" in thicker patches of ice glittering upon the surface.

The entire castle was in a fever as Alfred struggled to prepare for a long journey within a day as his parents and the royal advisors refused to allow him to go without trying to convince him away from the task.

"Prince Alfred, please, there is nothing in Krims, it has been long frozen over and what resources there are we do not have the tools to harvest properly."

"Krims Mountain." Alfred frowned at the men. "Why was that written over my brother's door?" He asked, wrapping thick furs about his shoulders and chest and what supplies he had strapped to the back. "Tell me now and I might be spared the trip."

One wizard glanced at his companions before clearing his throat to speak up. "There was once a wizard, Ivan Braginsky, who was commissioned under the king of Krims. Braginsky, for his years of loyal service, was given a servant... He proceeded to become obsessed with said servant, so much so that he killed the king of Krims and decades later turned the entire kingdom into a mountain."

There was a long silence before the other wizard spoke up. "He was paid for quite a few years in spirits to keep him docile, he is a very volatile wizard and we had hoped that when he was commissioned to build an army from whatever world resided inside the mirrors that he would not attempt anything foolish or dangerous in the presence of two other wizards." The two men shrugged and shook their heads. "Your quest to Krims will bring you nothing, the mountain was the construction of a madman."

"Madman or no, my brother is in danger and I will find out why." Alfred stated simply before he turned to his brother, peering over the smaller sibling before he wrapped his arms tightly around Matthew in a hug. "I'll be back. I promise."

"Please, Alfred...couldn't I go with you?" Matthew asked softly, his eyebrows pinched as he peered up at his brother. "I'm not in any danger...I...I just _know_ I'm not," the blonde nodded, giving his brother's sleeve a tight squeeze.

Alfred was quiet for a long moment before he barked at a servant to bring furs for Matthew and another horse. More supplies were collected and the protests were raised even more loudly, panic crossing the faces of the wizards as they glanced at Matthew then at Alfred, pleading with the two to remain behind.

It was an hour before they were prepared and riding across the landscape towards the looming mountain of Krims in the distance.

The mountain itself had a single entrance, marked on a map that Alfred had uncovered from the libraries. It took them a bit to find it but eventually, among the snow and ice, there was the entrance, covered in ice.

"Stand back." Alfred ordered, pulling his sword from it's sheath and moving to stand beside the entrance. It only took a few blows from the longsword for the ice to crack and crumble to the ground, Alfred replacing the sword at his hip before he looked at Matthew. "I'll go first." He stated simply, without argument before he crouched and moved inside the dim cave.

The cave had some abandoned mining equipment, obviously from the people who had tried to reap the benefits of the iron mountain. There was a door at the furthest end of the cave and Alfred frowned as he crouched beside it, drawing his sword once more to try and lodge it within the crack where the lock would be, succeeding only in chipping the blade with a curse.

"It's clear, Matthew." He called with a sigh, sheathing his sword and standing to rub the back of his neck. "There's a door here, but it's locked."

Matthew slid from his horse, his feet lightly crunching in snow as he moved to follow Alfred through the cave. The younger blonde peered at the tall walls of Ice, an eyebrow raising as he noticed his own reflection staring back from the glossy reflection created. He tilted his head as he approached the taller blonde, before he tentatively placed a hand to the door, trying to determine how thick the ice was.

"We...came all the way here for a locked door?"

There was a click at Matthew's touch and the ice crumbled as if it was just nearly melted snow, coating the floor about the two as they watched. There was what could only be called an altar behind it, a coffin made of ice and iron with an ice sculpture atop it clutching what seemed to be a small haircomb in frozen hands.

"Just... Stay back." Alfred murmured, stepping forward to peer down at the small figure carved into the lid of the coffin. "Shit!" The prince stumbled backwards, glancing from the coffin to Matthew then back again before he took another step backwards.

"What?" Matthew breathed softly, attempting to peer over his brother's shoulder as the taller blonde shifted backwards. "What is it?" he frowned, as he stepped to the side to try and get a better look at what had Alfred so startled.

It was strange really, and Matthew, for a moment, thought he was staring at a mirror. The figure, carved from ice, had the same features he did, the same curls that floated about the face, the same everything…

Matthew's fingers curled into the same position of the figure's, though he lacked a matching haircomb, everything seemed to match despite it.

"What...what is this?" the blonde murmured, feeling a sense of dread, worry, but strange familiarity bubbling in his chest. Reaching out once more, Matthew brushed the tips of his fingers to the frozen set, his eyes widening as the haircomb rattled as if it were loose and easily able to be dislodged.

The statue's fingers twitched slightly before parting slowly to release the comb, the open eyes of the statue's face closing slowly before everything was still once more.

"Oh," Matthew breathed softly as he nearly lost hold of the comb, his body crouching as he caught in in time before it hit the snow. The blonde ran his fingers over the carving of intricate bears kissing and dancing over the top before he slowly peered back at the figure.

He wanted Ivan to tell him what was going on, but in every reflective surface of ice, Matthew could see only himself,his brother and the frozen figure that seemed to be still for now.

"Matthew, we need to go. There's no answers here." Alfred whispered, grasping his brother's wrist and tugging him towards the door. "Let's _go_." He seemed terrified, worried for his brother as he collected Matthew close and led the smaller blonde out the door.

"No, no Alfred, _wait_," Matthew tried desperately to dig his heels into the ground, the snow and ice not helping him in this task to stay put. "Please, there has to be a reason," he struggled, his eyes peering down at the haircomb he still carefully held.

"Ivan…," Matthew sighed, his head tilting back to the cave entrance.


	3. Chapter 3

Upon returning to the castle Alfred immediately went to find the wizards to demand answers, shouting and panicking in his own way as the wizards tried to avoid giving him answers.

The mirror in Matthew's room had frosted over in his absence and when the blonde sat before it the frost evaporated, revealing Ivan behind Matthew once more, the wizard's arms wrapped around Matthew's thin frame.

"Hello, little one." He murmured gently with a smile, his eyes peering down at the comb clutched in small fingers. "I see you found my wedding gift to you."

"Ivan," Matthew started slowly as he set down the comb on the vanity before the mirror, "I don't understand...this comb doesn't belong to me...it...it fell from..from a tomb of someone else…," the blonde murmured, his head shaking as he leaned forward, his hands pressing up to cover his face.

"...what is going on, Ivan? I'm very confused…"

"Once upon a time I fell in love... This was many years ago, mind you... And I fell in love with you." Ivan's voice was right beside Matthew's ear, even if he was still only within the mirror. "But you were mortal, a human, and as the years passed you began to die. I had hoped to place your spirit within the mirror, to find a way to preserve you so that when I found a way to preserve your body you would not have moved on... But I was too late and you died in my arms." The wizard rested his forehead against Matthew's neck gently. "And then you were born again, I was given a second chance to find you, but now I was trapped here, within the mirror among spirits and shades and impressions of the dead." The wizard reached up to run his fingers over Matthew's cheek, unable to truly feel the softness of the flesh. "I have waited for many years for you... And that comb was my last true gift to you before your first death... It holds all of your memories... Everything that ever happened to us... Between us... Rests in that comb."

Matthew slowly shook his head, the idea almost too much for him to grasp, to _understand_. "I...but...I'm not…," he wanted to believe Ivan, because the man seemed so familiar and the sincerity in his voice was enough to make anyone believe.

But it was strange and startling and hard to grasp that he was not _just_ himself, that he was someone before, someone he didn't know, and someone that Ivan loved…

"I'm sorry, I just..I'm..._me?_" the blonde asked softly, his gaze dropping to the comb on the desk, his hands shaking as he began to reach for it but stopped. He was frightened and completely unsure if he truly wanted to know what the truth was.

"You're you. You're my Matthew... In this lifetime and in all lifetimes." The man pressed his face to Matthew's neck, but he couldn't feel the warmth there. Even if he was free from his mirror he doubted he'd be able to feel the warmth. "I've waited for you for so long..." His fingers reached out to touch the comb, placing it within Matthew's palm once more before he gave the blonde's hand a gentle squeeze. "I've missed you." The moment he released Matthew's hand there was a jolt along the slim arm as magic raced into the base of his skull, spreading warm and bright through his mind as memories were released.

Matthew's eyes widened as he was suddenly seeing memories of a little cottage, a warm bed and a crackling fire. A man with bright violet eyes that were unmistakably Ivan's, full and childish and loving stared at him, laughed with him and cried horribly sad tears that Matthew suddenly remembered feeling on his face and neck.

He saw a kingdom, a king, the murder and destruction of soldiers and guards, but then felt the way hands fiercely hugged him, the gentle, trusting kiss of a lover's mouth, and suddenly he saw years and decades full of magic, gentle love and coddling, and suddenly everything was swimming back to his room, to his reflection. Matthew, in that moment, felt he looked so much older, and in seconds his eyes were filling with tears and he crumpled forward onto the vanity, sobbing into his arms.

It hurt so terribly, the memories, the palpable distance he suddenly could feel between he and Ivan. But what hurt Matthew the most was that he had only suffered this separation for a few seconds, while Ivan...Ivan had hurt for far much longer than that.

Ivan watched Matthew quietly, pained that he couldn't hold the sobbing blonde to his chest, to offer some comfort to the smaller male. He doubted that he had any warmth left to give, as he had long frozen over. The visage he projected for Matthew was what the blonde would remember him as. Not what he was now.

"I'm sorry." The man whispered, his voice cracking with tears as he took a shallow breath. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you." His eyes filled with tears and while they trailed down his face in the mirror image, behind the glass they froze and collected about his eyes, just like every other tear he had shed since Matthew's death. "I've missed you for so long... I've wanted only you."

Matthew shook his head, a feeble whimper leaving his throat as he straightened slightly and peered at the mirror. His face was flush and streaked with tears and Matthew reached forward to touch the mirror, the glass cold under his touch.

"I should...I should be the one apologizing," Matthew murmured softly, his shoulders trembling as he brushed his fingers to the haircomb.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Ivan whispered, his face pressing to Matthew's neck once more. "I love you. So much... I pulled the stars from the sky for you..."

"The...the stariron?" Matthew asked softly, whimpering as he ducked his head and longed to wrap himself tight in Ivan's embrace. "You….you...didn't have to do that for me...Ivan…," the blonde murmured softly. "Ivan….I…," the blonde sighed, his eyes wet. "I've missed you…" it was such an odd, overwhelming feeling, that he suddenly missed Ivan so terribly it was painful.

Ivan was about to say something when the door opened and one of the court wizards was standing there, eyes widening in shock before he lifted his hand and a bolt of magic, sharp and dangerous, pierced the mirror, shattering the image and causing Ivan to roar with rage as he was forced back. The wizard grasped Matthew, tugging the blonde away from the mirror before turning the blonde.

"What have you _done_?" The man snarled, blinking as there was a sound of fists, numerous and uncontrolled, pounding upon the mirrors of the palace, rattling the walls and windows as the wizard snarled and shook Matthew. "The mirror, did you open the mirror?" The man asked and as they stepped into the hallway the man's eyes widened at the sight of hands, palms and fingers, clawing at the glass on the inside of the mirror.

"Let me go!" Matthew demanded, his eyes darting about to the different mirrors, desperately searching for Ivan's face.

"Ivan...where are you?" the blonde called as he wrenched his arm free of the wizard's hold, his eyes widening as he remembered the tall wooden mirror at the top of the stairs.

There was a thud from the stairs, the sound of glass rattling as Ivan tried to break the glass on his end, unsuccessful as he was, trying to shout through the glass and having the muffled noise echoing around the entire castle through every mirror.

Matthew's eyes widened and before he could be grabbed by the wizard once more, the blonde was tearing off through the hallway and as fast as he could up the dark stairs where the sound of the thudding increased.

"Ivan!" Matthew cried, the mirror cabinet on it's side as the blonde fell to his knees to pry it open hurriedly. "Ivan? Are you alright?"

"They're coming, Matthew, they want out and now that a mirror is broken they're trying to break the mirrors." Ivan called, turning inside his own tight confines to build a thick wall of ice around himself, whatever monsters and creatures skittering about in the darkness being stopped by the ice for the time being. The man turned back to the mirror. "Break my mirror, let me out." He called, his palm pressed to the mirror the only thing that could currently be seen of him.

"But…," Matthew whimpered, the howling and scratching and pounding from the thousands of mirrors in the castle making the blonde's ears ring. He was terrified of whatever sort of creatures they were getting loose, but Matthew didn't trust the other wizards to know what to do.

"A-alright," the blonde nodded, his hand pressing to Ivan's before he drew back and peered around the small space at the top of the stairs. There wasn't much there except for a tall, metal candelabra that Matthew wrenched one of the candle holders free from. Swallowing hard, palms shaking, the blonde approached the mirror and drew his hands back to then smash the metal end against the glass, sending shards every which way.

Ivan sent one last blast of ice into the mirror as he escaped, his cold hand grasping Matthew's as he went. "We need to go." He whispered harshly, trying to keep Matthew from seeing his eyes as they went. "They're going to come soon, we need to get out of the country."

"Wait," Matthew murmured softly, his feet coming to a stop just before the end of the staircase as he released Ivan's freezing hand. The blonde curled his hand to his chest as he he peered at the wizard's back. "...leave the country? But...what will happen...when they're finished with this kingdom, Ivan?"

Ivan was quiet before he spoke up, refusing to turn. "I... I don't know..." And it was obvious that there was still so much he had yet to learn. He was still so young for a wizard... "I... I suppose they'd move on to the next..." He whispered, his fist clenching as he tilted his eyes towards the mirrors. "I learned that you can direct them... Turn them into an army... But there really isn't a way to stop them without killing them."

Matthew shook his head before gently reaching for Ivan's hand once more. "We...we can't let that happen, Ivan...you're...you're a _good_ wizard...if it were to happen...they'd find a way to blame you, you know it," the blonde murmured, gently squeezing Ivan's pale fingers. "We...we have to stop them, Ivan…"

Ivan was quiet for a moment, his fingers lacing with Matthew's as he turned to peer at the blonde. He was pale. Much paler than he had ever been. Years of darkness and cold had turned his skin a barely there blue. His eyes, once violet and warm and bright were now frozen over, thick clumps of ice replacing the actual eyes, his skin covered in cold frost and his silver hair stiff with the cold.

"I... I don't know if I could..." Ivan whispered. "I'd... I'd have to freeze everything."

"Ivan…," Matthew murmured softly, his eyes wide with shock as he stared up at the taller male's face. He shook his head, tears gathering at the edge of his eyes as he moved to press himself to the wizard's chest. Ivan was freezing and didn't feel like anything Matthew could recall, but it was _still_ Ivan.

"I know you could," the blonde trembled, his hands curling into the thick black robes Ivan wore. "You're a great wizard, Ivan…"

Ivan was quiet for a long moment before he gently grasped Matthew, holding the blonde close to his chest as he took a deep breath. There was a sound of ice breaking, then glass shattering and Ivan ducked his head, holding out a hand as bits of glass collected about his palm, ice following until there was a veritable sheild of ice and glass surrounding both him and Matthew, his fingers curled into a loose fist before straightening and sending the shards away from his form in an explosion of ice and glass, killing the monsters that were crawling towards him and Matthew across floors and walls. The ice spread, Ivan breathing deeply as he concentrated, holding Matthew close to his chest to protect the blonde as he did so, thinking of ice and of polar bears, of creatures that survived the cold and how the humans would need to survive as well. They would become polar bears and the entire country would become ice, a country of ice and snow and iron atop the world.

Matthew shivered and trembled as he pressed close to Ivan's chest, his fingers tightening in the dark robes. He was afraid to see the creatures that Ivan froze, but even worse, he was afraid to see his family, what would become of them, if anything at all. But he trusted Ivan, even as it got colder and Matthew's shivers only increased, Matthew trusted Ivan completely.

Ivan's grip on Matthew tightened and he continued to freeze the castle, then the land surrounding it, the stretch of ice and snow expanding, encapsulating the fields, the mountain of Krims, everything.

He didn't notice Matthew becoming colder and colder in his arms.

The blonde nuzzled gently at Ivan's neck, though he could feel his limbs locking painfully, the feeling of ice creeping against his skin as hot as fire would be. It would be alright, Matthew told himself, his fingers releasing Ivan's clothing to curl together under his chin to attempt to keep the warmth he had left close to him.

By the time Ivan had finished his work on the country it was dark, everything covered in a blanket of snow, and Ivan sighed as he gently released Matthew.

Only to still in horror as he realized that Matthew was frozen completely solid in his arms.

"M-Matthew?" The man asked gently, tentatively reaching out only to pull his hands back in terror. It took a moment before he grasped at Matthew's shoulders, jumping when the blonde's frozen form collapsed, shattering into the snow about their feet.

Tears couldn't come this time. He was too cold... This time there was only the agony of a broken heart without the catharsis of tears to soothe it.

Ivan fell to his knees, covering his eyes. Only days before he had lost his love again...

The enormous man let out a roar of pain and anger, his hands lashing out and causing spires of ice to form, breaking through the walls and sending a section of the castle crumbling to the ground. He could wait. he would wait, of course... But what then?

He could only kill Matthew again...

A thought occurred to him and the wizard quietly looked to Matthew.

He would wait. For centuries if need be... And then he would give Matthew the one thing that could protect him.


	4. Chapter 4

It was centuries before Ivan had found Matthew again. The once prosperous country of Miranthrop had long become nothing but ice and snow, and even fewer could believe that the country had once been home to some prosperous kingdoms. It now bore the name of Svaldbard, the home of the great armoured bears and was known for their precious resource of stariron.

The king of the bears, a large, ancient creature with sharp violet eyes, lumbered into the great castle of Buckingham in the southern kingdom of London. He had come without invitation to the christening ceremony of the second born son of the king and queen. He bore a gift of a small crib, forged from stariron, sturdy but beautiful, and silently waited his turn to present a gift to the child.

It had been so long, and even an ice wizard had needed to cope with the freezing cold. He hadn't been human in form for quite some time and sometimes he even forgot he could perform magic outside of his basic transformations. But that was alright, because magic had gotten him into this mess.

"King Ivan." Arthur, the king of the London kingdom, cleared his throat and stood. "How might we help you?"

Ivan stepped forward, the crib in his large paws before he gently placed it on the ground before the throne.

"I offer this as a gift to the child." The bear stated simply. He knew that they would likely melt the iron down to create something else, but it was just an excuse to see the child, to give him a real gift. The bear moved to stand beside the small cradle that held the cooing bundle, smiling down at powder blue eyes, sleepily blinking up at the bear before small hands reached up to his nose to pet at the skin and fur. Ivan murmured a quick little spell, exhaled slowly onto the infant before pulling back, watching as the baby blinked and sniffled before falling back asleep contentedly.

This time, Ivan determined, he wouldn't lose Matthew so easily.


End file.
